Hurricane Bonnie: Construction Areas Cleared

The Virginia Department of Transportation on Tuesday cleared as many lanes as it could on local highways.

VDOT removed construction barrels and other barriers from lanes on the main evacuation routes: Interstate 64, I-264 and U.S. Routes 460, 17 and 58.

``If the lanes are drivable, they are now open,'' said Erin Dunn, a VDOT spokeswoman.

As of Tuesday night, no decision had been made about whether any residents of Hampton Roads should leave the area.

The first phase of the evacuation would likely involve residents of eastern Hampton, Poquoson, York County, Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Dunn said. The second phase would involve western Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Portsmouth and Chesapeake.

Scores of additional State Police officers are scheduled to work today to assist motorists, whether or not there is an evacuation.

VDOT might close the local bridge-tunnels if there is a chance they would flood. Dunn said the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel would be closed first because of its proximity to the ocean and because it is lower than the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge-Tunnel.